HOW: Admission is free. More information: www.hnoc.org or (504) 523-4662

WHY: In conjunction with the current exhibition "From Cameo to Close-up: Louisiana in Film," THNOC is presenting a free seven-part film series one Saturday each month through November. The fourth film, "The Cincinnati Kid" (1965), starring Steve McQueen, Ann-Margret, Karl Malden and Edward G. Robinson, will be shown Saturday, Aug. 30, at 10:30 a.m. THNOC senior curator/historian John Magill will provide commentary before the screening.

Steve McQueen stars in this drama set in 1930s New Orleans. As the title character, McQueen plays an up-and-coming poker player who challenges the veteran Lancey "The Man" Howard (played by Edward G. Robinson). Norman Jewison ("The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968) and "Fiddler on the Roof") directed the film, which also features Karl Malden and Ann-Margret as the Kid's friend Shooter and his wife Melba. It premiered in New Orleans at the Saenger Theatre in late October 1965, just a month after Hurricane Betsy. Proceeds from the premiere were donated to the Betsy Fund, which aided storm victims.

"From Cameo to Close-up" celebrates Louisiana's starring roles on the silver screen with posters, lobby cards, photographs, press books and other ephemera from the silent era to the mid-1990s. All of the items, which cover classic films and lesser-known works, are from THNOC's permanent holdings. Admission is free, and the exhibition is on view through Nov. 26, 2014. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Visit www.hnoc.org or call (504) 523-4662 for more information.

All screenings will be held at the Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres St., and will begin at 10:30 a.m. The remaining schedule is as follows:

Founded in 1966, The Historic New Orleans Collection is a museum, research center and publisher dedicated to the study and preservation of the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. For more information about The Collection, visit www.hnoc.org or call (504) 523-4662.

The Historic New Orleans Collection - Preserving our Past for a Brighter Future